Business, Corporate Wrongs, Economy, Ethics, House of Representatives, Party Politics

Grab Bag Monday — late edition

Posted on: August 2nd, 2010 by ecthompson md No Comments

Sometimes, it's hard to believe how fast the day goes by.

  • I'm not sure what's going on in the United Arab Emirates. I'm not sure why they think it's a great idea to limit e-mail access on BlackBerrys. Would the UAE be the definition of a police state?

  • A huge sum of money was pulled out of mutual funds over the last year. $1.1 trillion to be precise. It is unclear exactly what Americans did with that money. Pay bills? Try to prevent foreclosure?

  • One of the biggest examples of our failure in Iraq has been our inability to turn the lights on and keep them on. Electricity is still spotty at best. Could we have completely rebuilt their electricity grid three times over during the last eight years?

  • Another Democrat is in trouble with the House ethics committee. Longtime California Democrat Maxine Waters appears to have asked for federal aid for a California bank in which her husband served on the board and owns stock. She, of course, has admitted no wrongdoing. From a Democratic standpoint, this is more than problematic. Two long-serving congressman are embroiled in ethics scandals. This simply isn't good. Personally, I am saddened by even questionable ethical practices. Both Representative Waters and Representative Rangel understand they are under scrutiny at all times. They have to have their acts together. They can't do anything that's even a little bit shady -- unfortunately, it looks like they forgot this basic lesson.

  • Politicians are rolling in campaign cash.

  • How does 4.9 million barrels of oil look to you? It looks like the worst spill of all time to me.

  • There are a number of reasons why the Bush tax cut needs to be allowed to expire. Robert Reich has a few reasons.

  • I don't understand the recent push to try to repeal the 14th amendment. If you're born in the United States, you should be a United States citizen. If your parents got here illegally, that's not your fault. Why should you be penalized?

  • Countrywide has agreed to pay $600 million to settle lawsuits.

  • Al Jarreau is out of the hospital.

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Joe White

Dr Thompson wrote:"How does 4.9 million barrels of oil look to you? It looks like the worst spill of all time to me."Apparently Brad Pitt agrees.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1305215...Brad Pitt is 'willing to look at the death penalty' in bizarre rant against BPBy David GardnerLast updated at 9:46 AM on 23rd August 2010Brad Pitt has waded into the Gulf oil spill controversy with an extraordinary veiled attack on BP.The Hollywood actor said he would consider the death penalty for those to blame for the ruptured well that gushed millions of gallons of oil into the ocean........."Isnt it great to have Democrats like Brad Pitt?

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ecthompson

Are u really quoting Brad Pitt? He's a good actor. That's it.

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Joe White

Dr Thompson wrote:"If you’re born in the United States, you should be United States citizen. If your parents got here illegally, that’s not your fault. Why should you be penalized?"If your parents rob a bank and give you the money, should you be allowed to keep it?Of course not. If your parents were not US citizens, then they cannot give you the rights of a citizen of the US , because it is not theirs to give.'Yeah, but it's the 14th amendment' yes and it has to be amended.Until recently, we allowed mass murderers to write books and sign movie deals and profit from their crimes. Then we woke up and realized how wrong that is and how damaging that is.The country is waking up to the fact that stolen citizenship should not be allowed either. Is it the kids' fault that his parents were criminals? of course not, but they should not profit from it either.

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ecthompson

The analogy is awful. Robbing a bank is taking something. Illegal immigration is not the same as robbing a bank.

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Joe White

illegal immigration is a crime, Dr Thompson.illegal immigrants place themselves ahead of immigrants who are following the rules and trying to immigrate in a legal manner.illegals come to this country and obtain employment by fraud, identity theft and illegal means.illegals obtain government paid (taxpayer paid) benefits illegally while taking untaxed wages under the table.citizenship is a privilege, not a right. and citizenship obtained by fraud should not be awarded to children of illegals.The bank robbery analogy is a fine one. The problem is you don't know how to answer it because you want to sweep the criminal context of illegal immigration away and call them 'refugees'.Your willingness to excuse illegal conduct is, unfortunately, playing right into the hands of the businesses that employ the illegals -- the same businesses you blame for every thing else in this country, except the one major problem that they do actually facilitate.Your mindset is bankrupting many cities and states of the Union which pay billions each year in services for illegal immigrants.

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  • Errington C. Thompson, MD
    Errington_ThompsonDr. Thompson is a surgeon, scholar, full-time sports fan and part-time political activist. He is active in a number of community projects and initiatives. Through medicine, he strives to improve the physical health of all he treats.
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